Installation for the manufacture of hot-rolled steel strip

Abstract

In an installation for the manufacture of hot-rolled steel strip from continuously cast stock, a caster for the continuous casting of the stock into steel strip, a furnace positioned for receiving the strip after it leaves the caster and containing at least two winding/unwinding mandrels each placed in first and second proximate locations, respectively, the first mandrel is placed in the first location adapted to receive and wind the strip into a coil, transport devices are provided for transporting the coil and first mandrel from the first location to a second location and the second mandrel from the second location to the first location; the strip is unwound from the first mandrel in said second location and then fed to a mill. Alternative embodiments include vertical or horizontal movement of the mandrels, more than two mandrels, devices for driving the mandrels at different speeds, cutting means, clamping devices, furnace heating devices, dividing shears and descaling.

We claim: 
     
       1. An installation for the manufacture of hot-rolled steel strip from continuously cast stock, comprising: a caster for the continuous casting of the stock into steel strip;   a furnace positioned for receiving the strip after it leaves the caster;   said furnace containing at least two winding/unwinding mandrels placed in proximate locations, respectively;   a first mandrel in a first location adapted to receive and wind the strip into a coil;   transport means positioned within said furnace for transporting the coil and said first mandrel from said first location to a second location and a second mandrel from said second location to said first location, said transport means defining a path of revolution located in a single plane; and   receiving means proximate said furnace for unwinding the strip from said first mandrel in said second location and feeding the strip to a mill, said mandrels being turned with the furnace around a vertical axis.   
     
     
       2. The installation of claim 1, wherein the path of revolution is a closed path and extends in a vertical plane, and the mandrels are moveable stepwise. 
     
     
       3. The installation of claim 2, wherein additional mandrels are positioned in said furnace proximate to one another, such that all mandrels can be moved simultaneously in the path of revolution. 
     
     
       4. The installation of claim 2, wherein said path is circular. 
     
     
       5. The installation of claim 2, wherein said furnace includes an inlet-side reel, and said mandrels are arranged in said inlet-side reel. 
     
     
       6. The installation of claim 1, wherein additional mandrels are positioned in said furnace proximate to one another, such that all mandrels can be moved simultaneously in the path of revolution. 
     
     
       7. The installation of claim 1, wherein said mandrels are each provided with driving means for at least each of the winding and unwinding locations. 
     
     
       8. The installation of claim 1, wherein each of the mandrels is driven by a drive means, the drive means of the mandrels being independent of one another, said drive means fixed relative to said path of revolution, and detachably coupled to said mandrels. 
     
     
       9. The installation of claim 1, wherein the furnace is further provided with heating means for the controlled heating of the continuous casting to a winding or a cooling temperature. 
     
     
       10. The installation of claim 1, wherein said furnace further comprises inlet and outlet opening regions, and clamping means are provided in each of said inlet and outlet opening regions, respectively, for clamping the strip starting and terminating ends. 
     
     
       11. The installation of claim 1, wherein the coil has a cold starting end, further comprising cutting means for eliminating the cold starting end of the coil, said cutting means positioned proximate said furnace. 
     
     
       12. The installation of claim 2, further comprising means for moving said furnace, said means including a rotatable disk or rim. 
     
     
       13. The installation of claim 1, wherein said mandrels are positioned to receive the strip after the strip has passed through dividing shears. 
     
     
       14. The installation of claim 1, wherein said mandrels are positioned to receive the strip after the strip has passed through dividing shears, and before said strip passes through means for descaling.